Church's English Shoes was founded in 1617 by Anothony Church with a small production of handcrafted shoes in the English town of Northampton. Two centuries later, Church’s great-grandson Thomas would turn it into a global icon. Church’s first introduced the concept of right and left shoes in different widths, materials and unheard-of half sizes. While branching out globally, Church's received the Queen's Award to Industry from Elizabeth II. The acquisition by Prada Group in 1999, supported by the family, marked a new era of contemporary styles.